Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Aug 9, 2024 9:22 pm

Japan captures two freestyle wrestling gold medals

Paris, Olympics, wrestling, Higuchi, Sakurai, Lee

PARIS — Powerhouse Japan claimed two of Friday’s three freestyle wrestling gold medals at the Paris Olympics through Rei Higuchi and Tsugumi Sakurai to maintain their dominance on the mat at the Champ de Mars Arena.

Bulgaria’s Magomed Ramazanov won the men’s 86kg gold against an injured Hassan Yazdani of Iran, who settled for silver.

Higuchi won the 57kg freestyle gold with a 4-2 win against American Spencer Lee to banish memories of missing the home Olympics in Tokyo three years ago after he was found to be overweight in a qualifying tournament.

The silver medalist in the Rio Olympics began slowly as Lee scored a couple of step-outs for a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Higuchi began the second period with a wild scramble and leveled it at 2-2 before scoring two more points in the waning seconds to land the gold.

“I knew Spencer for many years,” Higuchi said of his opponent. “I knew that he was very strong. But I studied his movements, so I was able to win.”

India’s Aman Sehrawat and Gulomjon Abdullaev of Uzbekistan took bronze.

The men’s 86kg final was robbed of a proper contest despite a strong cast. Yazdani, who won the 74kg gold in Rio and the 86kg silver in Tokyo, went into the bout as the favorite. But an arm injury made it nearly impossible for him to carry on and the Iranian needed a couple of injury timeouts before conceding defeat with 25 seconds left.

Ramazanov had picked up two turns for a 7-1 lead in the second period when his opponent surrendered in pain.

“It was hard for him, but he was a great fighter with his other arm,” Ramazanov said of his opponent.

Three-time world champion Sakurai won the 57kg gold with a 6-0 win against Anastasia Nichita of Moldova, who settled for silver. The 22-year-old from Japan led 4-0 after two take-downs in the first period and landed another in the second to seal her victory.

“It was very tough for all of us, and for me as well,” Sakurai said. “But I was thinking only about the gold medal, and that’s what I fought for.”

American Helen Maroulis, who won a gold at the Rio Olympics, claimed her second Olympics bronze.

Japan now has five gold medals — Iran, Bulgaria and the U.S. are next with two each — along with two bronze.

–Reuters, Special to Field Level Media

You may also like

gabby thomas
Jun 4, 2025 5:56 pm

FanDuel bans man who heckled sprinter Gabby Thomas

FanDuel said it has banned a bettor for heckling U.S. sprinter Gabby Thomas at a recent track competition. The man boasted online that his actions “made Gabby lose” and helped…

gabby thomas
Jun 3, 2025 5:25 pm

Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas calls out bettor for verbal abuse

Gabby Thomas, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, said that an adult male sports bettor followed and verbally abused her during a Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia over the weekend….

olympic rings
May 26, 2025 6:26 pm

IIHF president: IOC to keep Russia out of 2026 Games

The president of the International Ice Hockey Federation told reporters that the International Olympic Committee plans to exclude Russia from the 2026 Winter Olympics. Luc Tardif was quoted Sunday by…

More Olympics News

gabby thomas
Jun 4, 2025 5:56 pm

FanDuel bans man who heckled sprinter Gabby Thomas

FanDuel said it has banned a bettor for heckling U.S. sprinter Gabby Thomas at a recent track competition. The man boasted online that his actions “made Gabby lose” and helped…

gabby thomas
Jun 3, 2025 5:25 pm

Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas calls out bettor for verbal abuse

olympic rings
May 26, 2025 6:26 pm

IIHF president: IOC to keep Russia out of 2026 Games

hilary knight
May 20, 2025 4:39 pm

Women’s hockey star Hilary Knight says 2026 Olympics will be her last

Yu Zidi
May 20, 2025 12:12 pm

12-year-old Chinese swimmer sets 200m record

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds
[gs-fb-comments]